About The Area

For lovers of music, film and theatre

NewcastleGateshead has more theatres per person than anywhere in the UK, highlights include  Newcastle’s Theatre Royal (regional home to the Royal Shakespeare Company) and the Sunderland Empire providing world-class theatre to suit all tastes from West End productions to esoteric drama. Live Theatre produces work as varied and diverse as its' audiences and Northern Stage is a world-class for theatre making.

The Metro Radio Arena and The Sage Gateshead attract big-name performers and underground acts alike with their versatile performance spaces, whilst film-buffs are more than catered for with Metrocentre’s state-of-the-art ODEON IMAX screens as well as Newcastle’s smaller independent cinemas such as the Tyneside Cinema.

Arts and Culture in the region

Gateshead’s BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art with its rolling programme of exhibitions is the biggest gallery of its kind in the world – an organisation whose ethos and mere existence captures NewcastleGateshead’s passion for culture which began, arguably, with Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North. There's also a wide range of smaller galleries across the area including the Hatton Gallery which has a fantastic collection of historical and contemporary art.

Explore our History and Heritage

In the heart of Newcastle City Centre the Castle Keep, one of the country’s finest examples of a Northern Keep, hints at the region’s thousands of years of heritage in contrast to the neo-classical architecture of Grainger Town, with Grey Street winning Academy of Urbanism’s Great Street Award 2010. Attractions such as 2,000 year old Tynemouth Priory and Hadrian’s Wall confirm the region’s rich past and complement the offering of museums like the newly refurbished and extended Great North Museum: Hancock.

Miles of stunning coastline and beaches

Although we can’t promise there’ll always be sun, we guarantee you’ll be impressed by our stunning coastline which, studded with some of the country’s best beaches, provides the perfect setting for a summer day at the seaside or a refreshing autumnal stroll. In 2010, all of Tynemouth's beaches were awarded prestigious Blue Flag status alongside Sunderland’s Roker and Seaburn beaches and South Shields’ Sandhaven, guaranteeing the highest standards in safety and cleanliness.

A centre of shopping excellence

NewcastleGateshead is well-known for its excellent shopping provided by Eldon Square, the UK’s largest city centre shopping complex, and the Metrocentre, Europe’s largest indoor shopping and leisure complex. Paired with the range of boutiques around Market Street, High Bridge and Hood Street and scattered throughout fashionable suburbs like Jesmond, as well as the quaint and quirky markets of Tynemouth and the Armstrong Bridge market is a shopaholic’s dream!

A wide variety of dining and diverse tastes

Our brilliant nightlife is a point we needn’t labour, and you won’t be short of surprising places to eat, drink and be merry during the daytime too – whether it's dining out, calling into a cosy bar or being spotted in a cutting-edge club, NewcastleGateshead and its surroundings provide a feast of choice. For something a little different why not try Blackfriars restaurant which, housed in a historic friary in Newcastle City Centre, is the country's oldest dining-room, or Cafe 21, one of four restaurants owned by the well-known North Eastern chef Terry Laybourne.

For those of a sporty and active nature

Regularly hosting the best in international athletics talent at Gateshead International Stadium, plus climbing walls, the UK’s largest water park, a dry ski slope, surfing school and much more, it’s not just football we’re passionate about...  although if you fancy a kick around or want to watch a match in one of our two impressive stadiums, Newcastle United's St James' Park and Sunderland's Stadium of Light, we promise we won’t say no.

Where to stay

NewcastleGateshead and its surroundings are packed full of accommodation options to suit all tastes and budgets. There’s a huge choice in the town and city centres and the surrounding areas with everything from hidden rural gems and boutique hotels to large-scale luxury with all the trimmings. Whether you’re looking for all-inclusive indulgence, a traditional Bed and Breakfast or a home from home - it's all here. Visiti our accommodation section to browse and book online.

The place for world-class events

NewcastleGateshead host all sorts of exciting events throughout the year. EAT! NewcastleGateshead is a food festival with a difference. Quirky, imaginative and of course delicious, EAT! proves that food festivals aren’t exclusively for connoisseurs. Sunderland International Airshow, the biggest free event of its kind in Europe, never fails to amaze kids and grown-ups alike with jaw-dropping flying displays from the Red Arrows, as internationally acclaimed acts perform in the open sea air. Enchanted Parks sees Gateshead’s beautiful Saltwell Park transformed into an intriguing winter wonderland whilst Juice, NewcastleGateshead’s award-winning festival for children and young people, hosts all sorts of wild and wonderful events for babies, children and teenagers... and it keeps the parents entertained too! And don't forget the Great North Run, the largest half marathon in the world which in 2010 celebrated its 30th year.